Alentejo-style French toast with honey and cinnamon

These Alentejo rabanadas make use of day-old bread and are finished in a warm honey syrup before being coated with sugar and cinnamon. They are a simple way to bring a traditional Christmas sweet from Ferreira do Alentejo to the table.

From dough to day-old bread

In Figueira dos Cavaleiros, the recipe recorded in the Alentejo Gastronomic Charter presents two possibilities: making small fritters with a dough of eggs, flour and butter, or using day-old bread dipped in egg and fried. We chose the bread version, which avoids preparing the dough and makes use of an ingredient already found in many kitchens.

Yield: 8 rabanadas, about 4 people
Total time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients for 8 rabanadas

• 8 slices of day-old Alentejo bread, about 1.5 to 2 cm thick
• 4 eggs
• 200 g honey, such as Serra de Portel Rosemary Honey – 270 g
• 2 tablespoons water for the syrup
• 50 g sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Enough extra virgin olive oil to form a layer about 1 cm deep in the frying pan.

Preparation

1. Prepare the bread and eggs. Cut the bread into similarly sized slices. Beat the eggs in a deep dish and mix the sugar with the cinnamon in another dish.
2. Fry the rabanadas. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, without letting it smoke. Dip each slice in the egg on both sides, allowing the excess to drip off. Fry a few at a time, for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden and the egg is completely cooked. Remove to paper towels.
3. Make the honey syrup. Heat the honey with two tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring only until fluid. Do not let it caramelise.
4. Finish. When the rabanadas are warm, quickly dip them in the syrup and arrange them on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon. Serve while still warm or leave to cool.

Tips for getting the texture right

Day-old bread stands up better to being dipped in the egg and syrup. Do not leave it submerged in the egg, so that it does not fall apart in the frying pan. Keep the olive oil over medium heat; if it starts to smoke, lower the heat before continuing.

Wine pairing

At the table, we suggest Cartuxa Colheita Tardia 2018 – DOC Alentejo–Évora, 375 ml, served chilled in small servings.

Advance preparation and storage

You can cut the bread and mix the sugar with the cinnamon in advance. Fry the rabanadas close to serving time to preserve their texture. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and warm them gently before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the dough version?

Yes. The source also describes fritters made with eggs, flour and butter. This article follows the day-old bread alternative indicated in the same source.

Do I have to use Alentejo bread?

The record indicates day-old bread without specifying the type. Alentejo bread is our choice for this adaptation because of the firmness of its slices.

Bring Alentejo to the table

Prepare the syrup with Serra de Portel Rosemary Honey and serve the rabanadas with a glass of Cartuxa Colheita Tardia 2018. For another seasonal dish, discover our Évora-style Christmas turkey.

Source

Confraria Gastronómica do Alentejo, Alentejo Gastronomic Charter (2013), p. 791. Recipe for “Alentejo rabanadas/fritters” collected in Figueira dos Cavaleiros, Ferreira do Alentejo, in an interview with Rosa Aniceto.

Recipe collected in Baixo Alentejo, adapted by Herdade do Estacal for the “À Mesa com o Alentejo” blog. The source also describes a dough version. This one uses the day-old bread alternative. The original syrup contains honey and Port wine; in this adaptation, the Port wine has been omitted and the honey is diluted with a little water. The quantities, type of bread, frying oil and timings are practical choices for this version.

Illustrative image generated for this article.